V-chip technology was mandated pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Since January 2000, all televisions produced for sale in the United States have been required to implement this technology. The intention of such legislation and technology is to provide parents control over the programs that their children watch on television through broadcast, cable, or satellite television. V-chip within playback devices (such as a television) use ratings contained within the television broadcast. The ratings are a form of metadata about the television program.
Multiple organizations create the ratings used by the V-chip according to different standards. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rates theatrical movies according to its standards. TV producers and TV networks rate their own programs according to the TV ratings descriptions. Some ratings from different organizations may seem similar (TV-PG and MPAA PG), but are different as each use a different standard from a different organization. TV ratings, unlike MPAA ratings, may also contain labels (D, L, S, V, FV) showing contributing factors to the rating. MPAA may have such classifications in print or movie trailer, but carry no equivalent content labels during broadcast transmission. Premium cable companies, such as HBO and Showtime, may augment MPAA ratings with content labels in their program guides to help parents understand why the specific rating was used. However, this information is not available in the television program for use by the V-chip. Many televisions sold within the US, also support TV programs rated according to Canadian Broadcasting Codes. Instead of content labels used with US TV ratings, disclaimers are aired at the beginning of the program. An understanding of all rating systems is required in order to properly configuration the V-chip since the rating system used for each program may not be known before the program is received.
The V-chip enforcement system (television rating included within the television program) is predicated on a television program rating and rating policy configuration. The consumer configures rating policies for each V-chip enabled television. Both items (television rating and configuration) must be available prior to receiving the television program. The V-chip uses the program rating and rating policy configuration to determine if the program is allowed or blocked. In the event that a program is blocked, a parent may input a PIN code allowing the program to be viewed without changing the policy configuration.
Since V-chip technology was mandated and introduced, video entertainment has begun a fundamental shift. In addition to terrestrial broadcast, cable, and satellite, digital distribution of video (streaming) has also been introduced and increasing in market share. Unlike broadcast technologies (terrestrial, cable, satellite) where the same programming is delivered to all TV sets, different programming is delivered to individual televisions or viewing screens using the Internet or other network.
Various companies utilize video streaming technology through software included in televisions, or devices attached to televisions allowing streamed content to be viewed on televisions. Such devices include PVR (personal video recorder), DVD or Blu-ray player, game console, or cable box. In addition to one-time-views, consumers are also allowed to purchase a digital program for repeated viewing. The consumer's purchase history is stored and using the stored digital files, a digital library is created allowing the consumer to watch the program multiple times at their convenience, outside of a scheduled broadcast. Cable networks offer similar functionality replacing the Internet with their private cable networks and terming the product “on-demand”.
The shift to digital libraries affects not only when consumers watch video programs, but where parental controls need to be enforced, who watches the content, and how content is rated. With the advent of digital libraries, video content can be viewed on a variety of devices beyond the television. Such devices include, for example, mobile phones, laptop or notebook computers, eBook readers, tablets, or desktop computers. Many US households have multiple of such devices, likely from different manufactures. Although content can be viewed on many devices, there is no mechanism to transfer ratings policies between devices. As the families' attitude change and children mature, this need is ever more apparent.
A digital library typically contains content for a single household, not a single individual. Since digital libraries contain content for multiple individuals, multiple policies are required to control the content for individuals. Many households have children in different age groups. Conventionally, a single override exists only for the parent. With multiple age groups, the single override available using V-chip technology is insufficient; the most restrictive rating policy must be implemented. For example, cartoons (TV-Y7 and greater) may be objectionable for the youngest viewer in the household, but there is an older child in the household that may watch the program. With the override behavior of a single PIN number, programs rated TV-Y7 and above must be blocked, even for the older child. Giving the older child the PIN number will unlock all ratings, including any the parents consider objectionable for the older child.
Ratings provide an independent assessment prior to content viewing so that the parent does not need to view a programming prior to their child. The rating is an indication of the material contained within a program that may be considered objectionable. When a program has been viewed before, the assigned rating may not coincide with the parent's judgments. The program may contain objectionable material in the parent's eye, or may lack such objectionable material. Once the program's content is known, such as with a digital library, if the parent chooses to persistently override the original rating, it should be possible so that a parent is not required to enter a PIN in order for the child to view the program.